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John Petrucci

Clean Vibrato

TonePrint for Shaker Vibrato

Clean Vibrato TonePrint by John Petrucci

John asked for a for a clear, swirly Leslie-type sound with just a little feedback. The result is a very wide Vibrato with a low speed rate at default knob positions. During the session, John was so inspired by the sound that he wrote a new riff right on the spot. Recommended settings: Set all knobs to the 12 o'clock position for the standard TonePrint - and then adjust according to taste.

About

TC: Who inspired you over the years when you were creating your own personal guitar tone?
John: Different aspects of my sound were inspired by different players. The rich and broad sonic landscape of Alex Lifeson's sound had a huge impact on my overall approach to tone while the tight heavy metal aspect was greatly influenced by Hetfield. My lead tones are a culmination of listening to Vai, Satch, Gilmour, Yngwie and Stevie Ray to name a few.

TC: What are the main ingredients in your tone in terms of effects (e.g. chorus, flanger, delay, etc.)?
John: Delay, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and Comp are my staples. If I had to live with just one it would be Delay.

TC: Have you ever been so inspired by a tone you created that you ended up writing a tune based on that specific tone?
John: Yes. That happens all the time. In fact, when we were tone testing the new pedals, I wrote something that very moment!

TC: Do you work on developing your tone continuously, or do you feel that you have found a fundamental tone that will last throughout your career?
John: I think the fundamental characteristics of my tone have always remained a constant in my head at least. The continuous development or evolution is just a method of trying to create that in the real world. So, yes I am a hopeless tone tweeker!

TC: What inspired you when you created your TonePrint?
John: The initial inspiration came from the original SCF pedal and the 2290 - both of which I have loved for many years now. Then it was a matter of asking, "How can we make this even better."

TC: You had access to a lot of tweakable parameters. Did any new ideas for future tones pop up in the process?
John: We stumbled upon new ideas and tone directions as a result of going to the extreme ranges of specific parameters. It was actually a very inspiring and eye opening experience.

TC: Normally, do you prefer having access to many parameters, or do you like simple pedals with just a few knobs better?
John: Honestly, it can tend to be a bit overwhelming if you get caught up with too many options. I think that in general I like to be able to reach over and quickly dial in what I'm looking for. Having said that, there are times when it can be a total blast to get lost in the deep layers of multiple parameters.

TC: In your opinion, what is the single coolest thing about TonePrints?
John: The ability to create and share is just phenomenal. You are no longer tied down to one person's perspective and that totally blows the door of tonal possibilities wide open.